LOVE GUARANTEED (2020)

You know how SHE'S ALL THAT has become the poster child for Hollywood's silly trend of casting beautiful actresses to play ugly characters? What if the lead from that movie decided to play a character like that again? And what if, instead of trying to pass her off as unattractive with glasses and a ponytail, she looked the same way she does in real life? That's what happens in LOVE GUARANTEED, where lawyer Susan Whitaker tries online dating and she finds only frogs but no princes. There's even a scene where her date sees her from afar and leaves! How is that believable?! Even if Rachael Leigh Cook isn't your type, would you find her hideous enough to flee like it's the end of the world or something?! And don't tell me I should blame casting directors instead of actors when something like this occurs. Not only is she not an up-and-comer (who might not know any better or who just takes what she can gets) anymore, but she's also one of the producers. Anyway, the plot (which is about Susan being hired to sue a dating website) starts off as a run-of-the-mill rom-com with enough charm to get by. The lack of originality is forgivable because it doesn't feel like it's using every single trick in the bag. However, there's a limit. During the last part, the clichés become more frequent and they're not even given a new spin. Also, a lot of the things the characters do feel... off. It's hard to put into words; you'd have to see it. It's the kind of odd behavior that usually reveals someone is an alien in disguise. Mark Steven Johnson normally directs movies with a flashy style. Even when he works in a feel-good dramedy rather than an action movie, he still chooses lots of angles and the editing isn't really slow. Here, he employs a lot of wide angles and long takes. In fact, during gags, he lets the camera linger on to create a dryly humorous atmosphere.

5/10
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